PAY THEIR WAY

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 July 1930, Page 12

PAY THEIR WAY

A VALUABLE LESSON

Some people have a horrible habit of waiting till the other person pays their fare when on a bus or a tram. They pretend they don’t wish them to do it. They slowly and stupidly fumble either in a purse or in thenpockets for some coppers while the other person-smilingly pays, and then with a mental sigh of satisfaction they let the pennies slip back “I’ve gained something this morning,” they whisper to themselves (writes a contributor to an English paper). But have they gained anything of value? Is the saving of a few coppers worth what they will eventually lose in character if they persist in this habit? Will they not gradually develop into beings who simply hate to pay for anything that someone else can be made to pay for?

Of course, they don’t intend to be mean. They salve their consciences by telling themselves that the other man is much better off than they are, and that a few coppers don’t make any difference to him. How do you know that he is’better off? One can’t judge a man’s monetary position by his appearance or readiness to ffay. Somq men are born “payers,” others are born “acceptors.” Besides, if a number of peopletjallow the “payer” to foot all their car fares, his weekly travelling bill is hound to be fairly substantial. I

i Children should be taught to pay their way from their earliest schooldays. They should not be allowed to enlist in the “something for nothing” brigade. It is very demoralising, and once children acquire bad habits it is extremely difficult to eradicate them. Make your children understand that they must pay their own car fares and never allow anyone to pay for them. A well-off man told me once that he was in the habit of paying for a little boy who always travelled to school in the same car. One day it struck him 'that the boy never made any effort to pay for himself. He decided not to ’pay the boy’s fare any longer. Then he noticed that the boy tried to evade the conductor. My friend then realised, with a shock, that he had really been doing the boy harm when ho paid his fare. For weeks the boy had had his car fares to spend. He had got used to having the extra money, and had determined that by hook or by crook he would continue to have it. Many people will even go out of their way to cheat a company of a few pence. It never seems to strike them that it. is really just stealing. These people are active offenders. Then there are pasive offenders. They go into a first-class carriage with d thirdclass ticket,, and hope they won’t be found out. If they are found out they meekly pay. They hold their bus or tram faro in their hand and hope they reach their destination before the conductor comes round. Or they sink into a dreamy state and forget to rise at, their stopping place and are carried on to their destination without paying the extra fare.

Some people pride themselves on saving money by these mean tricks. Others cheat on the quiet. It is really a form of stinginess, and it is despicable, so teach your children from their earliest, days “to pay their way."